| dc.description.abstract | Aquaculture has become a significant source of food, surpassing wild fisheries, and contributes to global food security, economic growth, and poverty alleviation. Among various teleost species, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L) is the most economically significant produce in global aquaculture, with Norway being a leading producer and exporter. Nonetheless, salmon aquaculture presents various environmental, ecological, and biological obstacles. One of the prevalent issues in Norway involves the escape of fish from farms, leading to their genetic integration with wild populations. Hence, this thesis investigates the discrepancies in growth and survival among farmed, hybrid, and wild salmon during the subadult phase of ocean migration. Here, I used a data set from a release experiment conducted for three consecutive years from 1996 to 1998; and studied the growth and survival of farmed and hybrid salmon in comparison to wild salmon. I have investigated the effect of domesticated selection on growth in wild, hybrid, and farmed populations. The results indicate that farmed salmon grow slower than their wild ancestor (Namsen population), but outperformed Imsa fish during their time at sea. Whereas hybrids (farm x wild) exhibited mixed results. This study found evidence that there are genetic differences between the origin of population and provide insights into the importance of sustainable management practices in salmon aquaculture and supports the need to implement strategies for conservation of wild Atlantic salmon populations. | |